Went out this morning on a bow hunt with my wife looking for elk. About 8:00 a.m. we located a group coming up a wooded draw right toward us. We couldn't see them, but the bull was bugling and talking constantly as he hearded his harem. We took apropriate ambush positions and waited.
I saw six cows pass through a ten yard clear section about 50 yards away, headed up hill. They were headed to a trail that passed within 10 yards of my wife. Then the bull who was pushing them also made his appearance, but only so briefly that we couldn't see just how big he was. I could tell that he was big though.
The wife was in a position to intercept them if they kept going so I just waited. But pretty soon here came two cows back by us again headed down the hill. I thought that for some reason they were nervous of continuing. We were using cover scent, cow elk in heat urine, and the wind was in our favor so I'm not sure what spooked them. we had to do something, so I signaled my wife to cow talk. She did and the bull threw a fit. He marched his cows down the hill and kept calling to us, but it didn't look like he was willing to come back, so I bugled. He really threw a fit then, especially when a couple of his cows came back up the hill to check out the new bull.

Pretty soon I could see him coming straght at us through the open space and could count all six points on each side easily. He was huge - the kind of monster you see hanging in sporting goods stores. I got real excited, but put a lid on it as quick as I could. The bull stopped at about 35 yards and turned broadside, well within my range. I drew my bow, 70 lb PSE with 125 gr satelite tipped carbon arrows, and settled on the vital area. I drew as he bugled another challenge. Just as I started to put preasure on the trigger the bull turned his butt toward me and followed his cows. AAAGGHHHH!! I never got another opportunity for a clean shot before he disappeared.

We followed the heard for a while, but never caught sight of the bull again. I hate to think that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I'll never get another chance, but what more could I have done?